Interlocking for containers



June 10, 1941. ZALKIND I 2,245,026

INTERLOCKING FOR conmmsns original Filed Oct. 16, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

lghilip alfind 7 BY I Q4 ATTORNEY? June 10, 1941.

P. ZALKIND INTERLOCKING FOR CONTAINERS I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 16. 1933 INVENTOR.

flhilip I1 ind )M ATTORNEYS BY J 4 Patented June 10, 1941 1 N E TES" PATENT OFFICE J matocxnzfzi n oon'rsmans I h p Zalkind, New York, N. Y.

Original application October 16,-1933, Serial No 693,841. Divided and this application February 2, 1939, Serial No..254,178

- plurality of securing prongs 36, 31, 38 and 39 11 Claims.

This invention is a division of my United States application Serial No. 693,841, filed October 16, 1933, now U. S. Patent No. 2,233,906, issued March 4, 1941, and relates to novel structural members and more particularly relates to collapsible containers and novel securing and reinforcing means therefor including members for interlocking vertically and horizontally ad- Jacent containers.

In containers of the type described in my application Serial No. 690,360, flied September 21, 1933, now .U. S. Patent No. 2,118,011, issued May 17, 1938, I described collapsible containers having vertical and horizontal end reinforcements of various types. Likewise, in my U. S.

' Patent No. 2,233,906, of which this case is a true division, I have'disclosed various modified types of container reinforcements.

It is now an object of this invention to provide means associated with collapsible containers of the foregoing types and particularly with the reinforcements thereof for interlocking vertically and horizontally adjacent containers.

Further objects and uses of this invention will be apparent in the following description and.

drawings in which:

formed by punching these prongs from the metal to protrude at right angles to the surface of the metal. Each prong consists of substantially triangularly'shaped members having curved sides and base to secure member 35 to the wall of any member such as the wall of a casing near'itsedge as will be described in detail hereinafter.

Two pockets, straps or sockets 43 and 44 formed by slitting and embossing the metal are located at the opposite ends of member 35 with open ends facing the adjacent .end of the casing andv are provided for the purpose of interlocking. adjoining casings. s

This type of reinforcement is that specifically described in my U. S. Patent No. 2,233,906, the

said reinforcement being bendable along slotsf 5| and 52 as therein described for erecting the container, the said reinforcement also providing the rabbet 45 and the friction reducing means 41.

Theinterlocking device may as readily be applied to and constructed in connection with the reinforcements of my container, U. 8. Patent No.

" 2,118,011. or in connection with any other type Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of metallic vertical reinforcement for my container showing pockets for receiving the interlock.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of an assembled container and dnawer showing the vertical reinforcement of Figure 1 in place thereon.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of one form of interlock bar. Figure 415 a view in perspective of an end of a portion of a stack of containers showing the interlock bar and the reinforcement of Figure 1 and the cooperation between them.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-3 of Figure 4 showing a modified type of interlock.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of an end of a portion of a stack of containers showing a combination of the forms of Figures 3 and 5.

Figure '7 is a view in perspective of the form of interlock member used in Figure 6.

As shown, the member 35 is provided with a of reinforcement which may be used on a collapsible container.

The casing I08, Figure 2, is provided with vertical reinforcing members I09 and H0 fabricated in a manner described in detail in connection with Figure 1 and having the same prongs 36 and 31 as shown in that figure, the pocket or socket formation 43 and 44 receiving the interlocking member, 'slit formations 5| and 52 forming the predetermined bending line at the edgeof the casing, the embossing 45' which provides arabbet formation, the roller 41 mounted on a pin 46 for rotation ther'eabout, horizontal reinforcing members I at the top and-bottom of the front edge of the casing, which extend from one, of the reinforcing-members I09 to the opposite reinforcing member IIO.

Horizontal members III form a bearing for angle wire II2 having two sections I I3 and Ill at right angles to each other. Angle wire 2 is arranged adjacent to the horizontal edges of the front wall of the casing I03 and when the horizontal reinforcing member is slipped into place as shown in Figure 2, it secures the angle wire H2 in position and forms a bearing therefor, about which one section or' ,leg II3 may be revolved. Angle wire extensions from both the right and left-hand ends of both top and bottom horizontal reinforcing members IIIare provided In practice, the casing is shippedcollapsed,

with the fabricated member I09. extending in a plane as shown in Figure 1, that is to say, ,not bent along the predetermined bending lines formed at SI and 52. At the point where the casing is to be used, the angle wires II: are

rocked in their. bearings until the vertical porturned-in ends I83 and I99.

adapted to be slipped over the horizontal rein- I application Serial No. 693,841.

InFigure 3 I have shown the simplest form of interlock comprising a metal member III having an embossedcentral portion at I12 in which a lug is punched, as shown at I13. The ends we and I15 of the member iii are arranged to seat themselves in the pockets or sockets I16 and I11,

' Figure 4, which are formed on the reinforcing members I18 and I19 of adjacent casings and are similar in construction to that described in connection with the. embossed pockets 3 and M of Figure 1. I

In actual practice, one end of member Ill is first inserted in the pocket I11 of the reinforcing member I19 of the lower casing, the pocket I16 of the reinforcing member I18 on the upper casing is then brought next to .the upper edge of the interlocking member, and the end I15 is permitted to slip into place as shown in Figure 4. This interlock arrangement may of course be used at both the front and rear-of the casing. I

In another form of interlock, especially suitable for the rearof the casing, I provide a substantially U-shaped member I8I, Figure 10, having Member I8! is forcing members on the rear walls of the casing, of the form to be described hereinafter. Thus, as illustrated in. Figures 4 and 5, the member III encases the two reinforcing members I95 and I99 and the turned-in ends form-locking lugs for this interlock.

In a further adaptation of my interlock for securing not only the vertical column of casings,

but also adiacent'horizontal casings, I provide a substantially U-shaped member I9I having lugs I92 and I99 punched thereinand having an ex-- tension I93 integral with the U-shaped member I 9|. Extending transversely of said U and inte- 1 ml with the extension 193' is a flat member m having lugs I99-and I91 punchedtherein, (see Figure 7). As shown in Figures 6 and a the U.- shaped portion I9I is slipped over the horizontal reinforcing members until thelugs I91 and I94 engage the rear of the reinforcing member and lock the interlockinposition. The extension'I95' brings the portion I95 in surface contact with the vertical reinforcing members of, the two adjaoent casings being interlocked. The lug I 96 position to be turned in their bearings to a position adjacent to the vertical front edges of the casing so that as the vertical reinforcing member 20-5 is turned on its predetermined bending line 206 and the vertical reinforcing member 201 is turned on its predetermined bending line 208,

now provides a receiving pocket for corresponding' lug I91 on the interlock secured to the next adiacent' column of casings and the opening formed by the lug I91 inturn forms a pocket for the corresponding lug I99 of the adjacent interouter side of said vertical reinforcing members 7 they will encase'the angle wires 203. The rear end thereof is formed as described in my parent application.

It is obvious, of course, member of Figure 3 is used, for instance as shown at Figure 4, the lug I13 thereof may be utilized in exactly the same manner-as lugs I96 and I91 of. member Figure '7 to form a horizontal interlock, the lugs of adjacent members I15 being inverted with respect to each other in the manner as shown in connection with the lugs of member I9I.in Figure 8 to interlock the casings horizontally. a

Where the pockets or sockets 43 and 4d are open at each end as they may well be, the shoulder I12 of member I15 of Figure 3 provides an abutment for retaining the interlocking member in position.

As seen in Figure 4, the interlock member com nects vertical reinforcements in such a manner as to turn superiacent reinforcements into virtually a single column for transmitting loads from the uppermost casing of the stack; to the base of the stack. r

In the above I have described my invention by illustrating preferred adaptations thereof, but

it will be obvious that itmay take other forms and I do not wish to be limited'except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A stack of casings to be shipped in knockeddown condition each casing comprising side, top and bottom members; an open front end; relnforcing members for said open front end; separable members; means consisting of pockets formed on the outer side-of the reinforcing members for securing said separable. members to reinforcing members of adjacent casings for interlocking said casings, and lugs formed from and integral with said separable members whereby said separable members on horizontal adjacent casings are interlocked'by the interengagement of said lugs.

2. A stack of casings to be shipped in knockeddown condition each casing comprising side, top and bottom members; an open front end: vertical metallic reinforcing members for the sides of said open front end and securely amxed to the side wall members with the casing in the knockeddown condition: separatehorizontal reinforcing,

members; stacking members detachable and removable from said vertical reinforcing members andmeans consisting of pockets formed on the into which the ends of said detachable member's snugly lit for securing said detachable members lock. Thus, the U-shaped member I9I' of'thef adjacent interlock is provided with the transverse memberlli' having lugs I96 and I91.

formed thereon'which, as shown in Figure 7,

I cooperate with the lugs I99 and I91.

to reinforcing. members of vertically adjacent casings for interlocking said casings;

3. In combination, a file having a casing Drovided with a lateral socket element adjacent to the .top' wall thereof, and .a stacking member having a lower portion adapted to be inserted within'said socketelement and an upper portion adapted, to extend above the upper edge of the casing and be received in a similar socket element adjacent to the bottom wall of a casing stacked above the first casing, said member including a Y the horizontal reinforcing members 294 are in wider,

intermediate portion having shoulders for that when the interlock 2,245,026 engaging the walls of the socket element at the top of the first casing to limit the downward movement of the stacking member within said socket elements at the front corners thereof,

stacking members each detachably received within the socket element at the top corner of one casing and 7 within the socket element at the bottom comer of the superposed casing and thus connecting two adjacent vertically stackedcasings by way of such socket elements, said stacking members provided with projecting means which interlock to limit horizontal movement of one stacking-member relative to the other and hold the vertical columns of casings against endwise displacement, the said interlocking stacking members being of identical construction but reversed with respect to each other.

5. A stacking member for individual files arranged in vertical columns, said member having end portions adapted to engage suitable anchoring means at the top of one casing and at the bottom of a superposed casing and having an intermediate outwardly projecting portion shaped to interlock with-the intermediate portion of an identical stacking, member reversed with respect to said first member to limit movement 01, such members relatively to each other at substantially the same horizontal level.

6'. A stacking member for individual files arranged in vertical columns, said member havsuperposed casing and having an intermediate portion comprising an outwardly bent lug, and

a space on the inner side of said lug to enable the lug of a second,similar member to interen gage with the lug of the aforementioned member,

the intermediate portion of the stacking member terminating at one side in a lug and at the other side being provided with a cut-out corresponding in width to a lug whereby identically constructed stacking members reversed with respect to each other can be brought close to each other with their outwardly bent lugs in interlocking relation to hold adjacent columns of vertical files against relative displacement in at least one direction.

. 9. In combination, a file having a casing provided with a socket element adjacent to the top wall thereof, and a stacking member having a lower portion adapted'to be inserted within said socket element and an upper portion adapted to extend above the upper edge of the casing and be received in a similar socket element adjacent to the bottom wall of a casing stacked above the first casing, said member including an intermediate portion' adapted to engage the socket element at the top of'the first casing to limit the downward movement of the stacking member within said stacking element, and to be engaged by the socket element at the bottom of the superposed casing so as to assist in transmitting the pressure from the upper to the, lower casing through the socket elements, said intermediate portion comprising a lug adapted to interengage' with a symmetrically positioned stacking member on an adjacent column of files to hold the column against longitudinal displacement.

10. A stacking member for individual files adapted to be arranged in vertical columns and horizontal .rows, said member having end portions adapted to engage suitable anchoring means at the top of one casing and at the bottom of a superposed casing and having an intermediate ing end portions adapted to engage' suitable.

anchoring means at the top of one casing and at the bottom of a superposed casing and having an intermediate outwardly projecting portion shaped to interlock with the intermediate portion of an identical stacking member reversed with respect to said first member to limit movement of such members relatively to each other at substantially the same horizontal level, the

intermediate portion of the stacking member be-- ing shaped so as to be capable of at least limited relative vertical movement with respect to a second member horizontally interlockedthe'rewith.

7. A stacking member for individual files adapted to be arranged in vertical columns and horizontal rows, said member having end portions adapted to engage-suitable anchoring means at the top of one casing and at the bottom of a superposed casing and having an intermediate portion comprising an outwardly bent lug, anda space on the inner side of said lug .to enable the lug of a second similar member to interengage with the lug of the aforementioned member.

, tions adapted to engage suitable anchoring means at thetopofonecasingandat'thebottomofa portion composed ,of outwardly bent, spaced members, the space between the members being slightly wider than a projection of asecond similar member to enable. the projection of said wall thereof, and a stacking member having a lower portion adaptedto be inserted within said socket element .and an upper portion adapted to extend above the upper edge of the casing and be received in a similar socket element adjacent to the bottom wall of a casing stacked above.

the first casing,- said member including an intermediate portion adapted to engage the socket element at the top of the first casing to limit the downward movement of the stacking member within said stacking element, andto be en a ed by the socket element at the bottom of the superposed casing so as to assist in transmitting the pressure from the upper to the lower casing through the socket elements, said intermediate portion including a plurality of spaced members;

' adapted to interengage with a stacking member reversed with respect thereto on an adjacent column 01' files to hold the column against longitudinal displacement. 

